ECI flags concerns over high number of voters identified via progeny-mapping in Bengal
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Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has expressed scepticism regarding a surprisingly high number of existing voters identified through 'progeny-mapping' following the completion of the enumeration phase for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal.
Data available from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) reveals a significant disparity in the digitisation trends of enumeration forms collected by booth-level officers. The total number of existing voters identified through progeny-mapping currently stands at 38,485,166.
In contrast, the number of voters identified through 'self-mapping' is notably lower, at 29,452,893.
For context, 'self-mapping' refers to voters whose names appear in both the current voters’ list (as of 27 October 2025) and the list from 2002, when the last SIR was conducted in the state. Conversely, 'progeny-mapping' applies to voters who do not have their own names in the 2002 list, but whose parents’ names were recorded in that year.
Prompted by these figures, the ECI has directed electoral officers across West Bengal to rigorously recheck the details of voters identified through progeny-mapping before the draft voters’ list is published on 16 December. Special roll observers have been tasked with supervising this review process.
Sources within the CEO’s office indicated that electoral officers have been advised to exercise particular caution regarding age anomalies, specifically where the age difference between a voter and their parent appears suspiciously low.
Furthermore, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Additional Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) must carefully verify that photographs printed on enumeration forms match the new photos provided by voters.
The final voters' list for West Bengal is scheduled for publication on 14 February 2026. The ECI is expected to announce the polling dates for the state Assembly elections shortly thereafter.
(Inputs from IANS)